Circuit-interrupter.



G. J HIXSON. CIRCUIT INTBRRUPTER.

APPLICATION FILED 313.23, 1907.

Patehted Jan. 23, 1912.

5110c nlor j. M m m CLINTON J'. HIXSON, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

CIRCUIT-INTERRUPTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23,1912.

Application filed February 23, 1907. Serial No. 359,008.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLINTON J. Htxso s, a citizen of the United States, residing in East Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have made a new and useful Invention in Circuit-Interrupters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is directed particularly to circuit interrupters for use generally in the electric art and designed to bring about the absolute rupture of electric arcs without damaging effects to the electrodes or circuit interrupting parts, and it has for its objectsFirst, to provide what I term a mag- 15 netic electrode so constru ted and arranged as to draw the arc, when established, under,

over or through such electrode, for the purpose of effectually disrupting it. Second, to I provide such a magnetic electrode with an improved form of yieldingly supported adjustable electrode intermediate the magnetic electrode and the rotary or movable electrode. Third, to provide a more effective circuit interrupter having a fixed, a rotary, and an intermediate yieldingly supported electrode.

-My improvement will be fullyunderstood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- 80 1 Figure 1 is a part sectional, part side elevational view of the entire device as applied to a switch or circuit interrupter, the yield ingly supported intermediate electrode and the movable or rotary part of the switch 86 being shown in elevational view. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through Fig. 1 on the broken line mzv and as seen looking thereat from right to left in the direction' of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a sectional 4 View of a modified form of that part of the invention which I term the cooling chamber or channel. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modified form of the same part; and, Fig.

5 is a similar view of a still further modified form in which the cooling chamber or channel constitutes a part of the supporting base of the magnetic electrode.

Referring now to the drawings in detail 1 represents an insulating base for the maglnetic electrode and the intermediate yieldingly supportedelectrode, and 2 represents two vertical standards which support the magnetic electrode proper,lthe same being com osed of two heads 3, 3, and an intermediate core ofmagnetic material around which latter is Wound the insulated ma netic coil 4: connected at one end to the binding post '5 and the other to one of the magnetic heads 3, or in such way as to be in good electrical contact with the entire magnetic shell.

6 and 7 represent respectively non-magnetic members preferably ofgood conducting material, the former of which immediately surrounds the magnetizingcoil 4, the latter being secured between the outer edges of the heads 3, 3, in the manner shown in Fig. 1, said parts constituting as combined with the aforesaid heads what I term the cooling chamber or channel for the arc. 8 represents that part of the magnetic electrode designed to. convey the working current from the entire magnetic electrode to the yieldingly supported intermediate electrode, and preferably constitutes a renewable tip, surface, or part secured between the heads 3, 3, by screws, as shown. 9 represents a rotary or movable part of the electrode of the switch pivotally supported at 10 and provided with a rotating handle 11,"

this structural form being shown forthe purpose of best illustrating the general na ture of my improved device which is adapted for use generallyin the arts.

12 is a yielding support for the intermediate movable electrode or part and is secured at-its lowerend' to the base 1; 13 constituting that part of the intermediate electrode adapted to bear upon the part 9 as the switch is rotated. 14, constitutes the supporting part of the renewable tip or's'urace 16 for theintermediate'electrode, said gart being pivoted at l5and having vibratory movement at its upper end to and from the part 13; 17 being an'adjustable bolt, 18 a spiral compression spring, and 19 an adjustable nut adapted to be located behind a lug or extension on the part 13, the entire arrangement being such that variable ad'- j ustment may be efiected between the renew-' able tip or surface 16 of the intermediate electrode and the tip or surface 8 of the magnetic electrode. I

The operation is substanti 9'through the agency of the-handle 11 from I lly as follows :-The circuit being open between the renewablet-ips or surfaces 8 and 16 the attendant rotates the rotary or movable part left to right, thereby causing the yieldingly supported intermediate electrode and its tip 16 to comeinto electrical contactwith' the tip'S, thus establishing the circuit. A further movement of the handle 11 places the adjustable spiral spring 18 under compression, thereby assuring good yielding elec trical contact between the parts. W hen the current flow is thus established the magnetic electrode is fully energized so that on disrupting the circuit an arc is drawn through the cooling chamber or channel, whereby it is cooled and extinguished.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a cooling chamber or channel in which the magnetic heads 3, 3, and the outer member 7, 7, of the cooling chamber are provided with radiating ribs 20 of increased surface for giving a greater radiating effect than is possible with the surfaces disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2. Similar ribs are shown on the interior of the heads 3, 3, which serve to bring a greater cooling surface and mass of metal in contact with the arc to be extinguished, at the same time increasing the magnetic flux passing through the chamber.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a modified disposition or shape of the cooling chamber or channel from that illustrated in Fig. 2. In the form shown. in Fig. 4 the magnetic intensity is increased by bringing the magnetic heads or pole-pieces closer together.

In Fig.5 1 have illustrated a still further modified form in which the length or cooling surface is materially increased by so arranging the parts that the support of the entire magnetic electrode is hollow. In

. other words, in this instance the cooling chamber or channel is continued from about or around the coil downward to the base 1. In this form 21 represents a barrier for preventing the are from flowing around the inner or surrounding surface (3 which incloses the coil, said barrier being intended to force the arc to pass through the longer channel over and downward, as will be apparent on inspection of the drawings.

Although I prefer to construct this cooling chamber or channel with outer and inner surfaces 6 and 7 between the magnetic heads 3, 3, and with openings to the exterior air, as shown, these features may be departed from and still come within the scope of my most generic claims. To illustrate,

-. the members 7 may be entirely done away with, thus leaving the cooling chamber or channel open exteriorly to the air; or, it may be modified in various ways so long as a conveying channel of any nature be provided for thus cooling the are as it is drawn into the magnetic field, by virtue of the action of the coil 4 upon the core and heads 3, 3, the essence of my invention in this particular lying in the establishment of a con-- ducting cooling arc channel.

Having thus'described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat- I ent of the United'States is I 1. In an electric circuit interrupting vice for relatively high potential circuits two circuit interrupting parts, one of which parts is rigidly sustained upon a fixed standard and the other part is movable and sustained upon a yielding support which normally tends to separate i from the stationary contact; in combination with a rotary partof cam-like or eccentric nature provided with means for rotating it; together with a rigid contacting member operatively connected with the yielding support and adapted to have continuous contact with the surface of the eccentric part, substantially as described.

2. In an electric circuit interrupting device for relatively high potential circuits two circuit interrupting parts, one of which parts is rigidly sustained upon a fixed-standard and the other part is movable and sustained upon a yielding support which normally tends to separate it from the stationary contact; in combination with a rotary part of cam-like or eccentric nature provided with means for rotating it; together with a rigid contacting member operatively connected with the yielding support and adapted to have con- I of relatively high potential and great current value, embracing three circuit interrupting parts one of which is stationary and the other two movable, the intermediate part being movable and provided with means for yieldingly holdin it always in contact with the other movab e partand also provided with adjustable means for varying its distance from the stationary part, said stationary part being of magnetic material and included in the magnetic field of a coil located in direct circuit with the circuit to be interrupted substantially as described. 1. Means for breaking an electrical circuit of relatively high potential and great current value, embracing three circuit interrupting parts, one of which is stationary and the other two movable; one of the movable parts being provided -with means for yield ingly holding it always in contact with the other and also provided with adjustable means for varyingv its distance from the stationary part; said stationary part being of magnetic material and included in the magnetic field of a coil adapted to magnetize it, said coil being connected in direct circuit with the circuit to be interrupted; together with a cooling chamber which surrounds the aforesaid coil and is open on both sides, substantially, a's describe 5. Means 'for breaking an electrical circuit of irelatively'high potential and great current value, embracing three circuit interrupting parts one of which is stationary and the other two movable; the intermediate part being movable and provided with means for yieldlngly holding it always in contact with the other movable part, and additional means for varying its distance from the stationary part, which stationary part is of magnetic material and is located in the magnetic field of a coil included in the circuit to be interrupted and adapted to magnetize it; together with a cooling chamber which surrounds the aforesaid coil, the-walls of said chamber being provided with radiating ribs. substantially as described.

6. A circuit interrupting device for interrupting electrical currents of relatively high potential and great current value, embracing a stationary contacting part of magnetic material and a movable contacting part which is yieldingly supported and operatlvely connected with, means for varying its relative netic inclosing members operatively connected to'the heads of the coil and adapted to constitute an air chamber surrounding the stationary part, subs antially as. described.

In testimony whe of I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLINTON J. HIXSON. Witnesses:

' C. J. KINTNER,

M. F. KEATING. 

